Belt-stretcher.



Patented Dec. l6, I902. D. R. DAVIS.

BELT STRETCHEB.

(Application filed July 10, 1902.)

2 Shani-Sheet I.

(la Model.)

F i W W/ TNESSES:

A TTOHNE Y8.

Patented Dec; l6, I902.

D. R. DAVIS. BELT STRETCHER.

(Application filed July 10, 1902.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES:

INVENTQH Z/arp'a? 4154111) ATTOR umu. WASNINGTON u c UNITE STATES ATENT @F IcE.

DAVID RICHARD DAVIS, OF NEMAHA, IOWA.

BELT-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 715,998, dated December. 16, 1 902- 7 Application filed July 10, 1902. Serial No. 115,023. (No model.) i

To all whont it may concern.- 1 7 Be it known thatI, DAVID RICHARD DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Nemaha, in the county of Sac and State of Iowa, have invented a-new and Improved Belt-Stretcher, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a device for drawing together the ends of belts, so as to facilitate lacing or otherwise fastening the same.

It comprises the combination, with a tackle, of peculiarly-constructed grippers, which are arranged to engage the end portions of the belt, so that by means of the tackle the ends may be brought together and held during the lacing or fastening operation. I

This specification is an exact description of one example of myinvention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention. Fig. 2 is an edge View thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

a and b indicate the blocks of the tackle, and 0 indicates the rope.

d indicates a device for locking the falls of the tackle in the block, thus holding the blocks drawn together during the lacing operation, this device (1 being applied to the block b, as shown, and said parts a, b, c, and dbeing of any construction suitable or desired.

The blocks a and b are provided, respectively, with a becket a and b, and to these brackets are attached the eyes or hooks e of the gripper-shanks e. The shanks e comprise, in addition to the hooks e, two parallel cheek pieces or plates, as shown best in Figs. 3 and 4, and extending transversely between these cheek-pieces are pins 6 preferably in the form of bolts. According to the construction here shown these pins are two for each shank, and they serve to carry each two pivot-allyattached gripping fingers or hooks f. This construction therefore provides four gripping fingers or hooks for each block, although it is clear that any other number may be em ployed. The gripping-fingers are pivotally mounted and are independently movable on their pivots, and, as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2, the members of the outer pair are longer than the members of the inner pair, thus placing their bills or points out of transverse alinement for a purpose which will hereinafter fully appear.

In using the device the ends of the belt (which are indicated in Figs. 1 and 2) are perforated by an awl or any other suitable tool, so that the points of the gripping-fingers f may be easily engaged with the belt. The fingers are then spread out, so as to place the strain uniformly on the belt, and by having the ends of the fingers in different transverse lines the puncture of the belt in a straight line across its width is avoided. This therefore enables the belt to be perforated for the engagement of the gripping-fingers without materially weakening the strength of the belt, since the perforations are out of transverse line. After the gripping-fingers have been properly engaged with the belt the fall of the tackle should be drawn on, thus drawing the blocks, and consequently the ends of the belts, together. Then by theoperation of the lock device 61 the movement of the blocks apart is prevented and the end portions of the belt are held drawn together, so that the lacing or fastening operation may be conveniently performed.

,It will be observed that the stretching device does not occupy when in operation a position outward from the side edges of the belt. This is particularly advantageous in the practical employment of the device, since it enables the operation to be carried on in crowded or confined places, particularly in belt-housings and the like, such as are common in grain-elevators. Further, by employing the tackle the ends of the belt may be drawn together without the operation of any such device, as a crank or other mechanical element, requiring considerable room for its operation.

Various changes in the form and details of my invention may be resorted to at will without departing from the spirit of my invention. Hence I consider myself entitled to all forms of the invention as may lie within the intent of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A belt-stretcher, comprising a tackle, and gripping-fingers carried by the respective blocks thereof and adapted to engage the ends of the belt.

2. A belt-stretcher, comprising a tackle, and gripping-fingers connected to each block thereof, said gripping-fingers being pivoted to swing independently on their pivots.

3. A belt-stretcher, comprising a tackle, a shank connected to each block thereof, and gripping-fingers pivoted on each shank and capable of independent movement on their pivots.

4. A belt stretcher, comprising shanks, gripping-fingers pivotally mounted thereon, and means for drawing said shanks together.

5. A beltstretcher, comprising shanks, gripping-fingers for each shank, said fingers being arranged in pairs, the members of said pairs being pivoted to the shanks on pivots common to the members of the respective pairs, and the members of said pairs of gripping-fingers being independently movable on their pivots, and means for drawing said shanks together.

6. A belt stretcher, comprising shanks, each having, parallel cheek-pieces, pins passed transversely between said cheek-pieces, pairs of gripping-fingers independently pivoted on said pins, the members of said pairs of said gripping-fingers being independently movable on their pivots, and means for drawing said shanks together.

7. A belt stretcher, comprising shanks, each having parallel cheek-pieces, pins passed transversely between said cheek-pieces, pairs of gripping-fingers independently pivoted on said pins, the members of said pairs of said gripping-fingers being independently movable on their pivots, and means for drawing said shanks together, the said means for drawing the shanks together comprising blocks and a rope rove over said blocks.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID RICHARD DAVIS.

Witnesses:

O. H. TOWNSEND, D. W. GRAFF. 

